W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden | One of the world's premier collections of heirloom peonies.

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Peony Garden

Nichols Arboretum is open sunrise to sunset daily.

Late May – Early June
Visitor center open daily 10am-4:30pm

What's in
Bloom

Look for updates starting in May!

Passion for Peonies

Passion for Peonies

Our collection of essays celebrates the story of the Garden and peony gardening.

The W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum is one of the world’s premiere collections. The garden holds nearly 800 peonies and over 10,000 flowers at peak bloom.

100 Years in Bloom

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@matthaeinichols / Tag Your Photos #umpeonygarden

Carolyn is one of the many scholars doing research

Carolyn is one of the many scholars doing research at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. Her research work on grapes is being conducted in the greenhouses at MBG and is titled “Multivariate defensive trait evolution across scales in Vitis”. #matthaeinichols #sciencefriday #umichnature

A familiar and popular houseplant known as Peace L

A familiar and popular houseplant known as Peace Lily, this Spathiphyllum REALLY enjoys the climate in the Tropical House of the conservatory! Fun fact: What is typically thought of as a "flower" is actually a white-colored leaf - a bract (a bract is a modified or specialized leaf) next to the reproductive flower parts arranged in a column (the spadix).

#mbgna #umichnature #spathiphyllum #peacelily

Image descriptions:
1. An image of a Peace Lily plant. The leaves are long and dark green. There are three white leaves with a textured column protruding from the base of each
2. A close of a white-colored leaf known as a bract next to the reproductive flower parts arranged in a spiky white column
3. A short video showing the size of the peace lily plant in the conservatory. It is about twice the height of the short, orange brick wall next to it.

During our Woven Throughout Winter Exhibit we invi

During our Woven Throughout Winter Exhibit we invited visitors to take part in a community weaving project. Participants wrote messages and wishes for the community on strips of fabric. These messages were then collected and woven into the textile - the finished project was hung at Matthaei Botanical Gardens this week.

#matthaeibotanicalgardens #umicharts #mbgna

Image descriptions:
1. A woven textile iwth strips of fabric hanging dow, each filled with messages written y participants. The piece us filled with many bright colors, lime green, reds, blues and cream
2. A second, slightly more muted textile. This one has just two strips of messages hanging from the center, the rest of the messages have been woven into the piece
3. Both textile pieces hug side by side on a grey painted cinderblock wall
4. A partially woven piece in the conservatory
5. A close up if some of the textile strips. One reads "all are loved"

With the advent of spring, many flowers will begin

With the advent of spring, many flowers will begin to bloom in the coming weeks. But one species has the jump on the bloom game, its flowers are already fully in bloom. That plant is the eastern skunk cabbage, which gets its name from the sulfurous odor that it emits. Its odor has been described as “nauseous,” “skunky,” and of “putrid meat,” but some people find the odor reminiscent of “garlic,” “fresh cabbage,” and “mustard.” Its odor is not the only thing that sets skunk cabbage apart from other plants in the area. It's one of Michigan’s first plants to bloom in the new year. The flowers are most common in early March, but some individuals already start to open their flowers as early as January.

Because it blooms so early in the year, skunk cabbage sometimes has to deal with snow and ice, but it’s well-equipped to do so! The flower emits heat to melt any snow and ice that might prevent it from emerging from the soil and can maintain its flower temperature between 70 and 77 degrees.

The flowering structure (called an inflorescence) is the only part of the plant that is initially above ground. Later in the spring and summer, the plant will shoot out large, green leaves that resemble cabbage and the flowers will fade. The leafy vegetation only briefly co-occurs with the flowers.

You can find skunk cabbage throughout Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas in swamps, bogs, and forests with wet, muddy soil. It is plentiful on MBGNA grounds - those looking for it can find it along the Fleming Creek trails, the floodplain forest boardwalk of the great lakes garden, and at the Arboretum, where it is abundant along the Huron river. Visit soon to see this unique flower, and let us know what you think it smells like!

#matthaeinichols #umichnature #skunkcabbage #springflowers

Photo Descriptions:
Photos 1 and 2: Skunk cabbage flowers emerging from a skunk cabbage patch in Late February. The plant resembles a red horn emerging from the mossy ground. The spadix is not yet visible.

Photos 3 and 4: The skunk cabbage's horn-like structure has opened. The flowers are now fully developed with both spathe and spadix.

✍️, 📷: Derek Smith

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